Pouring trough



T. ENN- POURING TROUGH Filed July 27.,

for holding back pouring trou atented June 14, 1932 Application filed July 27,

This invention relates to pouring troughs I for use in the transfer of molten metal, and i more particularly to an arrangement for skimming the metal to remove impurities floatingl on the top of the molten stream flows t as it rough the trough.

In the transfer of molten metal various arrangements have heretofore been pro osed the slag, dross, an im purities, but these have not been wholly various reasons as for example those which im ose too great a restriction upon the flow the metal. Where no skimming arrangement is provided, the impurities flow on into the mold or receptacle satisfactory for into which the metal is being poured, which is obviously undesirable. For instance, in the casting of ingots, it is essential that the quantity of impurities flowing into the mold along with the metal bekept to the lowest possible minimum.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved form of skimming a1; rangement for trapping or holding back the surface dross floating on the top of metal being transferred from a furnace to a ladle or mold, or from a ladle to a mold or other receptacle.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide a skimming arrangement for the purposes vindicated which can be mounted in a pourin trough. A further object is to provide a s imming'device which is simple in form, easy and cheap to manufacture, and which can be readily replaced without interfering with the flow of the molten metal.

A specific object is to provide a combined h and skimmer.

Further ob ects and advantages of my invention will appear in the accompanying description when taken in connection with the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my invention app ied to an arrangement for transferring metal from aladle or other receptacle;

Fig. 2 is atransverse pouring trough taken on into a mold section through the the line II--II of UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ILLIAM ENNOR, OF MASSENA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB 'IO ALUMINUM COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF PITTSBURGH, PEINNEiYLV'ANZLA- .A. CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA POURING TBOUGH 1981. Serial N0. 553,316.

Fig. 3 is afragmentary longitudinal section through the pouring trough;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a pouring trough showing a modified form of my invention in which a plurality of skimmin deviceshave been employed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of skimmer;

F g. 6 is a perspective view of a further modification;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a still further modification; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modification in which the skimmer consists of a fiat piece of sheet metal.

For urposes of illustration I have depicted t e application of my invention to the transfer of molten metal from a ladle 1 to a mold 2 by means of a pouring trough 3. The pouring trough 3 may be of any but I have found that an I-beam or H may conveniently be employed. The trou b 3 shown in the drawing is of such a form, t e upper flanges serving to form the sides of the trough and the lower flanges 4 serving to strengthen the trough against bending which may be caused by unequal expansion of the sides and bottom of the trough, the molten metal being always in contact with the bottom of the trough but being in contact with a portion only of the sides of the trou h, depending upon the level of the metal owing through the trough.

The trough 3 is provided with notches 5 to receive the ends of an oscillatory rod or bar 6 to which is secured a skimmer which may consist of a wire gauze or screen 7. This screen may be attached in any convenient manner as for example by being folded over the rod and secured by means of bolts or rivets 8 as shown in Fig. 5; or by being clamped between the halves of a split rod as by means of bolts 10 as shown in Fig. 6.

In the modification of Fig. 7 the lower depending edge of the skimmer has been bent over as at 11 to more eifectively hold back the dross. This form is particularly advantageous where the depth of the dross on the metal is relativelygrea In the modification of Fig. 8 a sheet metal desired form blank is shown in place of a wire gauze or supported above the level of the metal and screen. This blank is formed with laterally having their depending edges supported subextendlng ears 12 at the top edge thereof stantially at the surface of the flowing molten which are designed to lie in the grooves 5 of metal, said skimming members being of vary- 5 the trough to pivotally support the skimmer ing weights and arranged in a gradient of therein. weight ecreasing in the direction of metal The shape of the skimmer 7 should correflow. spond closely to the interior configuration of WILLIAM T. EN N OR. the trou h 3 and should preferably be of such weight that it will float on the top of the flowing metal, thus retaining or removing the surface dross while permlttin the smooth flow of the metal underneath t e lower edge of the skimmer. 15 The weight of the skimmer and its length a from the point of support to the lower depending edge may be selected with respect to certain variables, such as theinclination of the pouring trough, depth of surface my dress, and surface tension of the metal:

It may be found advantageous in some cases to provide a series of skimmers, as shown in Fig. 4, of varyin weight, the skimmer 13 nearest the point of ingress of the metal being the heaviest, the skimmer 15 nearest the to point, of egress of the metal being the lightest, and skimmer 14 being of an intermediate weight. In some cases it may further be found advantageous to vary the coarseness of the wire screen employed in such a series of skiinniers, the mesh increasing in fineness in the direction of flow of the metal.

In all of the forms of my invention an essential characteristic of the skimmer is that it is oscillatable about an axis lying above the surface of the flowing metal and is arranged to automatically compensate for increase or decrease in the metal flow so that its lower depending edge will always float at or near -10 the surface of the metal, thus avoiding impedance of the flow of the metal while at the same time insuring that-the dross is prevented from flowing into the mold.

It is to be understood that the particular 45 forms of my invention which have been described for purposes of illustration do not define the limlts of the invention inasmuch as various changes may be made without departing from its spirit or scope. 60 I claim:

1. In apparatus for the transfer of molten metal, a skimming member and means for pivotall supporting said member so that its lower e ge will be substantially at the surface of the flowing metal. I

2. In a pouring trough, means for skimming the dross from flowing molten metal comprising a member pivotally supported above the flowing molten metal and having its depending edge resting substantially at the surface of the meta 3. In an apparatus for the transfer of molten metal, means for skimming the dross from the flowingmolten metal comprising a plurality of skimming members pivotally 1 

